Harda blast news: Eleven people were killed and over 200 others were injured after a major fire broke out in a firecracker factory in Harda town of Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday. "We have 65 injured admitted here, and have referred 10 others to a bigger hospital," the official said.
A number of people were also feared trapped in and around the firecracker unit in Harda. Some videos of the incident surfaced on social media showing the fire with intermittent explosions taking place at the Harda factory site and people running to save themselves.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav spoke to the officials concerned and sought details of the incident, an official said.
The CM also directed Minister Uday Pratap Singh, Additional Chief Secretary Ajit Kesari and Director General Home Guard Arvind Kumar to rush to Harda by helicopter. Burn units at hospitals in Indore, Bhopal and the AIIMS in the state capital were directed to make necessary arrangements for any emergency, the official said.
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Fire brigades were also rushed from Indore and Bhopal to tackle the blaze. The chief minister has also called a meeting in connection with the incident, the official added.
Expressing grief over the loss of lives in the accident, PM Modi announced ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh for the kin of deceased from PMNRF.
"Distressed by the loss of lives due to the mishap at a cracker factory in Harda, Madhya Pradesh. Condolences to all those who have lost their loved ones. May those injured recover at the earliest. The local administration is assisting all those affected," the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) quoted PM Modi in a social media post.
In another incident, a fire broke out in an apartment in an 11-storey building in the Mohammadi area of Pune city near Delhi Public School. Five fire tenders are on the spot, said Pune Fire Department.
There was so far no report of any casualty, the officials said.
The blaze erupted at around 1 pm in the flat on the top floor of the building located in Mohammadwadi area, they said.
Five fire tenders and other equipment were rushed to the spot and efforts were on to douse the blaze, the officials said.
